Groton – The Groton Board of Education on Monday night approved a $78.3 million budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year, an increase of about $1.85 million, or 2.42 percent, over the current fiscal year. 

The vote was 7-2, with Kim Shepardson Watson and Rita Volkmann against. 

The budget is headed to Town Manager John Burt, and the Town Council is set to adopt a budget by April 28. It then goes to the Representative Town Meeting for approval. 

In the last seven years, the largest increase to the budget has been 2.17 percent, for the 2015-16 school year. The town is required to give the schools at least the same amount as last year, or $76,468,239, because of Groton Public Schools’ Alliance District designation.

The board began its budget meetings last month with a budget increase of 4.13 percent but whittled the budget down to a 1.98 percent increase. But on Monday evening, the board voted to add $333,193 to meet the suggested contribution to OPEB – other post-employment benefits and liabilities. 

“I think that we’re better off trying to pay what we owe, and the state of Connecticut, they’re not real good mentors when it comes to paying their debts,” board member Lee White said. 

The board has had to grapple with rising "fixed" costs, such as salaries and benefits, meaning it has had to cut other areas of the budget. The increase for health insurance is $1.69 million and $551,762 for salaries.

Business manager Ken Knight noted that insurance claims over $50,000 doubled from December to January, “which is somewhat concerning.” 

The budget cuts one elementary school classroom teacher and one high school classroom teacher, due to enrollment projections.

Enrollment in the district is currently up 122 students, but Superintendent Michael Graner told the board, “Talk to me next month and we could be 122 down.” 

The budget will include an extra $30,000 for the two magnet elementary school site budgets, Knight said. At a previous meeting, Northeast Academy Arts Magnet Elementary School parents lamented that while the school has been designated an arts magnet school, it lacks money for instrument repairs and only has one theater production per year. 

Compared to the current year, the budget decreases funding for repair and maintenance, field trips, conferences, instructional supplies, textbooks, library books, software, heating oil and more.